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If you know how to make a cup of tea, guess what? You’re an herbalist. Tea is one of the oldest and most accessible ways to engage with healing plants and enter into a relaxed state. The ritual of brewing a pot of herbal tea is calming in and of itself. When herbs are used that soothe our nervous system, the experience can be positively heavenly.

There are many nervine herbs that can be used for herbal tea. Some common herbs used in tea recipes for relaxation include hawthorne, lemonbalm, chamomile, linden flower, and lavender. Making adaptogen brews with herbs like Ashwagandha can strengthen your body as a whole and increase your resiliency to stress.

The recipes that follow are for 1 cup of tea. In all of these blends, either fresh or dried herbs can be used. Read on to discover quick and easy rea recipes for relaxation, and be sure to download the recipe card for my Calming in Calm Tea Latte with Chamomile and Rose at the end of this post!

1. Tulsi + Rose

Tulsi is a beautifully-scented herb also known as Holy Basil. Sacred to the cultures of India, tulsi is known as the Queen of Herbs in Ayurvedic tradition. A member of the mint family, it is a species in the Ocimum (Basil) genus and closely related to Italian sweet basil. Deeply relaxing, tulsi is also known as an adaptogen, which is an herb that when used consistently over time helps our body adapt to stress.

Rose is common and highly medicinal. Known as a “heart-opening” herb, rose tonifies our heart in the physical sense and tends to your emotional well-being by helping us process fear, grief, and sorrow. Rose helps us be open to receiving and giving love.

The combination of Tulsi and Rose is classic for stress related to emotional upset, trauma, sadness, and/or stress that may manifest as digestive upset. This blend helps us with resistance to opening up our hearts to others.

How to Make Tulsi + Rose Tea

• Blend 1 tablespoon Tulsi with 1 teaspoon Rose

• Steep in just boiled water for 5-10 minutes.

• Strain and enjoy up to three times per day. Consistent use will yield excellent results.

2. Linden Flower + Lavender

Linden flowers comes from a tree also know as Basswood. Linden is one of our most anti-inflammatory herbs, and is specific for nourishing the heart and lungs. Linden is what is known as a demulcent, which means that it is soothing to the soft tissues and contains a mucilaginous quality that coats irritated throats, lungs, and digestive tracts. Linden, called Tilo in Spanish, is used as a calming tea in an acute moment of stress. Linden helps the body relax into a parasymphathetic state and is wonderful for sensitive, hypervigilant individuals who struggle with sleep.

Our beloved lavender is a gentle sedative, and powerfully effects the psyche to go into deep relaxation. Intensive work with this plant can even produce a transcendental state of bliss. Lavender is also highly anti-pathogenic, and is a good fit for people who need a firm energy to feel held and safe enough to relax.

This tea blend is one of my favorites for relaxing before bedtime. Combined with good sleep hygiene like turning off devices, dimming the lights, and engaging in relaxing activities, this tea can help shift long-held patterns of insomnia in a few nights.

How To Make Linden + Lavender Tea

• Combine 1 tablespoon Linden with 1/4 teaspoon Lavender

• Steep in just boiled water for 5-10 minutes

• Strain and enjoy 30-60 minutes before you wish to be asleep or to center yourself during the day.

3. Hawthorn Berry + Lemonbalm

Hawthorn Berry is a nutritive herb that has a gentle yet profound effect on the nervous system. Known to bring good cheer and a joyful demeanor, hawthorn is in the rose family. Like rose, hawthorn berry is deeply nourishing for the heart and is traditionally used to support the heart post-heart attack. Hawthorn is an excellent ally for people who tend to experience stress in their chest and feel their heart tight, fluttering, or erratically beating when upset. Like all berries it is loaded with anti-oxidants, and thus powerfully cools inflammation throughout the body and in our precious hearts. Oftentimes when I drink Hawthorn berry I feel an immediate cooling sensation in my chest that is just delicious.

Lemonbalm is lauded as another herb that gladdens the heart, and has been used traditionally to decrease anxiety and increase focus. Studies have shown lemonbalm to be effective against heart palpitations and anxiety, intense pre-menstrual emotional symptoms, and Alzheimer’s Disease. It is also highly anti-viral and soothes people who tend to have excessive thoughts and chronic inflammation.

This tea blend is not “sleepy” persay, but I love to use it in the afternoon to transition from work to home, or throughout the day when I just can’t seem to focus and feel scattered or sad. These two herbs together are a great fit for people with heart inflammation, or who tend to hold their stress in their chest and block their emotions from being expressed.

How To Make Hawthorn Berry + Lemonbalm Tea

• Simmer 1 tablespoon Hawthorn Berry in 1. 5 cups of water for 10-15 minutes.

• Remove from heat, and immediately add 1/2 tbsp. lemonbalm to the brew.

• Steep for 5-15 minutes.

• Strain and enjoy liberally any time of day to relax.

4. Ashwagandha + Cinnamon + Cardamom

Ashwagandha is another gift of the Ayurvedic tradition of herbal medicine. Lauded as the “King of Herbs”, Ashwagandha helps to regulate the nervous and endocrine system for optimal performance and guides our bodies find rhythm. As an adaptogen, Ashwagandha helps us become more resilient to stress when used for several weeks or months. Ashwagandha is traditionally used for males to help build muscle, increase circulation, and resolve impotency, but anyone will benefit from its use. Ashwagandha is a great herb for high-octane individuals who are quick to anger and tend towards burnout. It nourishes the adrenals and kidneys while gently relaxing the nervous system.

Cinnamon and Cardamom are what are known as carminative herbs. Carminatives help bring blood flow to the digestive system and resolve uncomfortable issues like bloating, slow digestion, excessive gas, malabsorption and constipation. These herbs also increase circulation throughout the body and help people who tend to run cold to get their systems moving and flowing. Both herbs have been traditionally used to help regulate blood sugar and also happen to be fabulously delicious.

This blend is a wonderful tea for the “tired and wired” person who can’t seem to relax but feels perpetually exhausted. It is also a good remedy for people looking to increase their emotional stablilty and to warm cold systems that seem sluggish. Ashwagandha is best extracted with fats, so this tea is made with milk. People sensitive to lactose can try A1/A2 milk, goat’s milk, or coconut milk for this blend.

How To Make Ashwagandha + Cinnamon + cardamom Tea

• Combine 1 teaspoon Ashwagandha powdered root with 1 teaspoon Cinnamon and 3-5 cardamom pods, crushed into 1 mug’s worth of milk.

• Warm gently until milk is simmering. Simmer for 10 minutes, do not let it boil over.

• Remove from heat and strain. Sweeten as desired with honey or agave.

• Enjoy in the early evening or first thing in the morning. Also a lovely brew for a cold, rainy afternoon.

5. Hibiscus + Hawthorn Berry + Cinnamon

Hibiscus is a cooling, moistening herb that has been shown to reduce hypertension and decrease inflammation. A traditional herb of the tropics, the calyx of the flower is removed once the showy petals fall. The calyx is then dried, combined with spices, and used as a flavorful beverage throughout the lands in which it natively grows. The bright red tea of Hibiscus is sour and helps stimulate digestion, circulation, and is uplifting to the spirit. This herb is wonderful for people whose stress manifests as hypertension, high blood pressure, or a general increase in inflammation. Rich in antioxidants, hibiscus nourishes hot and inflamed constitutions and keeps of calm and cool as a nighttime ocean breeze.

(For details on Hawthorn berry and Cinnamon, see above sections).

This tea blend is delicious and festive. Regular use will help with relieve deep-seated tension and is wonderful for bringing cheer into the drear of winter, monotonous environments, or difficult life circumstances. This is the base for many tea blends that I make for my apothecary, and I love watching people sample these teas and immediately brighten and smile.

How To make Hibiscus + hawthorne + cinnamon tea

• Combine 1 tablespoon hibiscus with 1/2 tablespoon hawthron and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.

• Steep in just boiled water for 10-15 minutes.

• Strain and enjoy as a warm beverage or refreshing iced tea.

A Simple Cup of Tea

Feeling good really is as simple as a cup of tea. Incorporating a ritual of herbal teas into your life not only builds health but gives your nervous system a strong message that everything is ok. If you have time to make a cup of tea, then surely things cannot be so bad, right? Amid chaos, heartbreak, or grief these simple moments of relaxation make all the difference for your long-term wellbeing. Consider this your invitation to the lifestyle of home herbalism.

Be sure to download your printable recipe card down below. Thanks for joining me in this journey, and Let me know if you try any of these tea blends and what you think of them in the comments or with a DM on my Instagram page! I love hearing from you.

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